Habitudes 2017-2018 A SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
2
++IMPACT
STUDENT CENTRED - TEACHER DRIVEN
F
rom those first encounters in Indianapolis in the US summer of 2017, till this very moment, we in South Africa have been enthused anew about the possibilities that integrating Habitudes
into our school curricula can bring for our children.
Every child whose had the opportunity to learn and grow and experience the creativity, the difference and the relevance of these powerful lessons, have sensed that this new approach is valuable for them. Our teachers who traveled across the pond to the US during July 2017 returned with energy and enthusiasm for the daunting responsibility in South African education. Competence have often times taken too much of the oxygen from character in learning environments. We have tried in South Africa to bring that life back into the classroom and have taken specific steps to align and adjust the national curriculum to this conviction. What we did not have, was a creative tool, like Habitudes,
to help give immediate opportunities to teachers to activate the dialogue and the learning around acharacter development. South Africa, as the country of my birth have always been the land of potential and possibilities - I should know. I have lived and worked in the US, Sweden, China, Italy and Belgium. There is a heartwarming sense of possibilities in South Africa that I have not really tasted and seen elsewhere. The adoption of Habitudes into the three schools in South Africa proves that, yet again.
Theophilus van Rensburg Lindzter LEARNING ACADEMY WORLDWIDE
3
4
Some South African schools have
smooth and seamless integration of
worked hard at getting technology
the Habitudes lessons into school
into the classroom which made for
life.
Teachers, Mr Russell Andrews, Ms Nazlie Moralie and Mr Alexander Solomons have been keys to leveraging technology as tools for learning. Their fearlessness and willingness to take risks are benefitting our children.
5
++OVERVIEW
July 2017
December 2017
Attend summit in the US
6
Deploy lesson plans in class
Start new G Coh
t with Grade 7 hort
Currently we are connecting with around 500 Grade 7 (12-14 year-old) students who represents a new cohort of students from the ones we started with in 2017. Clearly we need to think in more detail what it is that we desire to do in order for sustained impact. This is a real need. How do we extend our reach to these young people into their High School years and beyond?
January 2018
Liase with GL to expand impact testing
June 2018
July 2018
Possible regional summit to share good practices with other Schools and Teachers
7
8
++HOW I CHANGED MY CHARACTER I am Jaylin April. I am a learner at Parkview Primary. Before I was selected to be part of the Habitudes group at Parkview, I didn’t know what CHARACTER and LEADERSHIP were. Let me tell you my story‌ When I was in grade 1, I was very shy. I never wanted to talk to anyone. I had very low self- esteem. I was always in the back of the class. Although I had a very creative mind, I could never share my ideas with anyone in my class. Then I met a smart girl, named Bianca van Rensburg. We became friends and afterwards, she encouraged me to become
less shy. So, I built a new character and I developed a smart creative character. I made more friends, because I became more confident. My character was developing on a daily basis. Bianca stayed my best friend. With the good character she had she encouraged me to be my best. I am not shy anymore and my positive character is still developing. I am now in grade 7 and learn a lot. The good influence of Bianca is still have a positive impact on my young life. We have our differences, but because of our good character, we can come to an agreement ion a positive way. The character
I have now is smart, good manners, good core values, etc. I am not that outspoken, but because of this I love writing and reading. I want to succeed in life. With a good character you can become a good leader. I am really working very hard to develop my character. It is not a thing that will happen overnight. Life comes with a lot of challenges. GOOD CHARACTER IS KEY. My future is in my hands and I to keep on developing myself, so that I can become a good leader and an excellent role model, one day.
9
++MORE OF OUR CHILDREN’S VOICES...
10
11
++EXTENDING IMPACT ++THE NEEDS WE SEE
12
%
growth
How to fund
INVEST
in people
We do need to set real targets for the Habitudes impact in
We need clarity about defining
South Africa
and building a funding model for the current and future
Africa beckons and South
possibilities
We need to continue investing in the capacity of our teachers and school leaders
Africa can teake the initiative.
13
Hardworking Willing
E
ed s u nth
Enjo
Eager
Keen
14
ying
Difficult with cameras around sometimes but when you’re famous, you’re famous.
15
++IGNATIA IS THINKING
16
++KESHIA WANTS TO MOVE ON
17